UPDATE: Due to snow in the Washington area, this Kaiser Family Foundation scheduled event in Washington, D.C., is cancelled. We apologize for the inconvenience and will let you know if we are able to reschedule the event at a later date. The Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) major coverage reforms have…

As Marketplace enrollees begin to shop for coverage starting in 2016, the number of insurance choices available to them is changing in some parts of the country. In early 2015, an average of 6.1 insurer groups offered coverage in each state, up from an average of 5.0 in 2014. Since…

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) expansion of Medicaid to adults with incomes at or below 138% of the federal poverty level (FPL) effectively became a state option following the Supreme Court decision, creating a “coverage gap” for many poor uninsured adults in states that do not expand Medicaid. This brief examines the coverage gap by race and ethnicity.

High Federal Match for Adult Expansion Group Contributed to Substantially Slower State Medicaid Spending Growth in Expansion States Compared to Non-Expansion States Survey Also Finds States Relying More on Managed Care, Undertaking Delivery System Reforms The Affordable Care Act’s Medicaid expansion resulted in record increases in Medicaid enrollment and spending…

This report provides an in depth examination of the changes taking place in state Medicaid programs across the country. The findings in this report are drawn from the 15th annual budget survey of Medicaid officials in all 50 states and the District of Columbia conducted by the Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured and Health Management Associates (HMA), with the support of the National Association of Medicaid Directors. This report highlights policy changes implemented in state Medicaid programs in FY 2015 and those planned for implementation in FY 2016 based on information provided by the nation’s state Medicaid Directors. Key areas covered include changes in eligibility and enrollment, delivery and payment system reforms, provider payment rates, and covered benefits (including prescription drug policies).

This Issue Brief examines the availability of Medicare Advantage plans nationwide and by state in 2016, and tracks changes in plan availability since 2012. It documents the number and share of Medicare Advantage enrollees affected by plan withdrawals each year, the characteristics of plans that will be entering or exiting the market in 2016, and the potential implications of these changes for Medicare Advantage enrollees.

The “Faces of Medicaid” video series highlights the range of experience and diverse roles that Medicaid plays in the lives of Americans across the U.S. These stories of individuals on Medicaid go beyond statistics and provide insight into the range of personal experiences with the program.

A number of potential mergers and acquisitions between large firms that offer health insurance have been reported in the press. These mergers could affect consumers in the individual market, enrollees in the new federal and state Marketplaces, employees with employer-sponsored insurance, as well as people covered by public programs such as Medicare. This Data Note examines the Medicare Advantage market share of large firms that have reportedly engaged in merger and acquisition discussions: Aetna, Anthem, Cigna, Humana, and UnitedHealthcare.

This report is based on based on focus group discussions with parents with moderate incomes enrolled in private coverage (employer sponsored or Marketplace) who had children in public coverage (primarily CHIP) or children with private coverage. This report is based on 14 focus group discussions conducted by the Kaiser Family Foundation and John Snow, Inc. in six cities during February and March 2015. Sites included Birmingham, AL, Chicago, IL, Denver, CO, Philadelphia, PA, and Tampa, FL. Each of these states operate separate CHIP programs. An additional 4 focus groups were conducted in Los Angeles, CA (two in English and two in Spanish). The purpose of the groups was to gain insight into what low and middle-income families value in their children’s coverage, their experiences with CHIP and private insurance, and on parents’ perspectives on the future of CHIP. The information gathered can help inform policy questions such as would private coverage (either employer sponsored coverage or Marketplace) or Medicaid work for children who currently are enrolled in CHIP?